[Counterpoints]

Hi Guthrie.  Good news!  Interestingly enough, a very good endocrinologist, after hearing my symptoms, actually suggested I get "25 OH Vitamin D" tested.  Is this the specific test you had?

PS.  Don't overdose on vitamin D! It can be dangerous to take too much.

I agree with Cp about Vitamin D overdose.

Counterpoints and B_Jim, could you provide some links regarding the dangers of vitamin D?  Thanks!

I like the Wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D
And on overdose: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D#Overdose

Vitamin D has a very long half-life in your system, which is partly why it is easy to overdose.

Here is a quote from the Wikipedia article.  I would go to the original article though, and see the references:

The exact long-term safe dose of vitamin D is not known. In 1997 the U.S. Dietary Reference Intake Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) of vitamin D for children and adults was set at 50 micrograms/day (2,000 IU), but this is viewed as outdated and overly restrictive. A 2007 risk assessment suggested that 250 micrograms/day (10,000 IU) in healthy adults should be adopted as the tolerable upper limit.[38] In adults, sustained intake of 2500 micrograms/day (100,000 IU) can produce toxicity within a few months.[2] For infants (birth to 12 months) the tolerable UL is set at 25 micrograms/day (1000 IU), and vitamin D concentrations of 1000 micrograms/day (40,000 IU) in infants has been shown to produce toxicity within 1 to 4 months. Other sources indicate that the threshold for vitamin D toxicity in humans is 500 to 600 micrograms per kilogram body weight per day."[39] In rats an oral LD50 of 619 mg/kg is noted.[40] All known cases of vitamin D toxicity with hypercalcemia have involved intake of or over 1,000 micrograms/day (40,000 IU)[41].

Seems like 50 micrograms/day (2,000 IU) would be a safe "upper starting limit". (According to that info). Maybe 100 micrograms/day for the first week.  Remember that you will be getting vitamin D from sources other than any supplementation you will be taking.  After a month, you may want to lower the dosage, since it cumulatively builds up in your system.

Another interesting quote from the wikipedia article

Although normal food and pill vitamin D concentration levels are far too low to be toxic in adults, people taking multiples of the normal dose of codliver oil may reach toxic levels of vitamin A, not vitamin D, [42] if taken in an attempt to increase the levels of vitamin D.

[Counterpoints]

Good news Ambient! And great post.

[demografx]

Ambient, congratulations!

I have over 3 months experience now with my testosterone treatment and it's holding. At 2 weeks' experimentation, I would like to kindly suggest to be careful not to set yourself up for any disappointment. Even with 3 months of successful POIS treatment, I still feel that I'm not yet ready to declare my "longterm cure". There are several reasons for caution, including the placebo effect, and also, in some treatments of any kind, the medicine simply stops working because the body adjusts to it. Also, we don't know other factors that may be at play at the particular time we're experimenting.

We are doing amazing things, but keep in mind that it's on a shoestring budget, without medical testing facilities, personnel etc., that other disorders may have - and even then taking years to find successful treatments.

I sincerely hope that "this is it" for you and that none of my concerns are true for you. But I just want to share my experience so that you don't go through the same ordeal. If you don't manage it the disappointment can be severe. I came crashing down disappointedly several times when I thought I had "the cure" - - and then I didn't. Once with my very first testosterone injection. Levitra was another example: for over 9 months I thought I was doing extremely well, then it stopped working. Looking back, I think it was because in the early months I had testosterone injections and didn't give any credit to that, thinking instead it was the Levitra.

Best wishes Ambient! Please keep reporting.

[demografx]

It sounds like he is taking you seriously, which is good.  Contrast might be useful for your pituitary MRI.

CP. thanks for reminding. Yes, Rocky, mine was done with and without contrast.

Rocky, congratulations on your major steps!!

[Counterpoints]

To those interested in getting scans, I would recommend MRI over CT.  So long as you don't have any metal in your body, and fit various other scanning criteria, MRI is harmless (as far as I know).  There's a fair bit of radiation with CT.

[Dean93]

Hey everyone, things seem to be going really well here in general, which is good. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow, does anyone have any additional tips or suggestions, any important information or bloodtests that I should have prepared?

[demografx]

To those interested in getting scans, I would recommend MRI over CT.  So long as you don't have any metal in your body, and fit various other scanning criteria, MRI is harmless (as far as I know).  There's a fair bit of radiation with CT.

CP, how does that differ from fMRI?

[demografx]

Hey everyone, things seem to be going really well here in general, which is good. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow, does anyone have any additional tips or suggestions, any important information or bloodtests that I should have prepared?

Dean, these are the bloodtests I took, which changed my life by revealing my hormonal deficiences:
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=6576.msg253144#msg253144

Best wishes with the doctor!

[Counterpoints]

To those interested in getting scans, I would recommend MRI over CT.  So long as you don't have any metal in your body, and fit various other scanning criteria, MRI is harmless (as far as I know).  There's a fair bit of radiation with CT.

CP, how does that differ from fMRI?

MRI (and CT) are used to see bone and tissue.  MRI uses a magnetic field, and radio waves, to make pictures.  It is loud, and usually takes longer than CT, but it does not expose you to ionizing radiation (a CT can give you the same amount of radiation as about 500 chest x-rays), and MRI pictures are usually much HIGHER quality than CT.

In my opinion, MRI should almost completely replace CT.  It is better quality, and has very little risk.


fMRI (functional MRI) is a special type of MRI to see activity -- for example, metabolic activity in the brain.  It is more experimental, and usually the only way you'll get an fMRI scan (at least right now), is in a research setting.  An fMRI, for instance, could be used to measure the neurological activity that correlates to orgasm. It could therefore differentiate between the POIS and "normal" neurological response.

[Dean93]

Thank you demografx. I'll do my best to work them into the conversation.

[demografx]

An fMRI, for instance, could be used to measure the neurological activity that correlates to orgasm. It could therefore differentiate between the POIS and "normal" neurological response.

Fascinating!! Too bad it's out of reach for us.

[demografx]

Pronobis' and Martin's posts in French

I just deleted a long post of mine, initially excited when I saw #1 Google results by searching on several words from Pronobis' and Martin's posts in French.

But I then thought that maybe the search engine in France might work differently from ours. So I searched again, this time using Google.fr (Google France) and then...everything was turned upside down. I couldn't find the posts even in the first 3 pages of results!

I tried Google.fr once again, this time adding "POIS" to Pronobis' and Martin's words. Sure enough, we came up #1. But that's cheating[] So...I guess we have more work to do to figure this out!

[Dean93]

I went to the doctor's office today, where I discussed my symptoms with her. I didn't bring anything about orgasm into the discussion. She suggested ADHD  , depression, and other things, but ultimately she said that it was either one of two things: 1) I had repressed issues hat were causing my symptoms or 2) the was a chemical imbalance in my brain, which was what I wanted to hear. She order that bloodwork be done, which I am going in for next week. To be fair though, as she said, she referred me and my mother/family to a counselor. I honestly don't think hat this will help, so in the best case scenario, my bloodwork will come back with "something wrong with me", and that won't even be an issue.

[GoingCrazy]

Hey guys.  Anybody wake up with excess "white stuff" in your mouth? I just realized I have candida and that is the main cause of my brain fog, it can cause hypoglycemia and a range of other symptoms.  Right now I am taking acidophilus, and eating non sugar/carbohydrate foods.  I believe this relates to pois somehow, maybe if some of you guys have candida.

[demografx]

I went to the doctor's office today, where I discussed my symptoms with her. I didn't bring anything about orgasm into the discussion. She suggested ADHD  , depression, and other things, but ultimately she said that it was either one of two things: 1) I had repressed issues hat were causing my symptoms or 2) the was a chemical imbalance in my brain, which was what I wanted to hear. She order that bloodwork be done, which I am going in for next week. To be fair though, as she said, she referred me and my mother/family to a counselor. I honestly don't think hat this will help, so in the best case scenario, my bloodwork will come back with "something wrong with me", and that won't even be an issue.

Congratulations, Dean. You did great!

[Dean93]

Thank you, Demografx! I'm hoping for the best. One thing I'm worried about though is that I'm not getting my blood tested until Tuesday, which would be  11 days after my NE. I feel better now than I have, and I'm worried that I'll feel a lot better come Tuesday. Not, of course because I don't want to feel good, but because I think it might affect my results. So, if I'm out, to whatever degree, or POIS, will it affect my test results? Will they still be able to see that something is wrong?

Thanks
Dean

[demografx]

Dean, I tested at about the same time as you. My testosterone deficiency still showed up, because it' a chronic problem, in or out of POIS. But there's no guarantee that in your case, something will show up. In any case, it's good to have a comparison of in vs. out. And it's a great start. Do you know which hormones are being tested?

Make sure to get a copy of the results. And it's very difficult for any of us here to advise you, but you might ask yourself if you'd be better off, at some point, bringing up POIS. To get re-tested right after your next NE, it might be the only way to go. You can tell them you've been truthful about symptoms, but somewhat nervous about POIS, because of the sexual aspect and also because you know it's rare and under-researched. Besides, if something important is revealed in-POIS/right after NE, it proves your research and opinion, and is hardly something they can ignore.

Anyone else with thoughts, ideas, comments?

Best wishes!

[Dean93]

Well, I have my fingers crossed for the first set of tests. But if that doesn't work out, I don't think I'll have any problems talking to to my doctor about retesting/POIS, she is a very nice and understanding woman, so that I am surprisingly not worried about.

I'll also be sure to ask her about the hormones tested and ask for a copy of the results.

[demografx]

Dean, that was great to read, that you two have a good rapport and that you're confident about re-test!

Also glad to see this site back up and running after some tech probs!

[Pronobis]

Hi everybody,

My great respect for your hopeful job. I haven't done anything since my acquiantance of POIS. I suppose, the first thing that I should do is, like Demografx said, to test my testosterone.
Last times I work in the night I sleep very little, besides I don't eat well and I don't do a sex. My problems are persisting. It can be said that stress is similar to sex and has same POIS effects.
Before going to doctor and speak to him I decided to share with my friends (a litlle test). They think that our forum is not a serious thing and I am not obliged to believe. So, I am afraid that my doctor will say the same.